Three listed species are known or likely to reside within Crater Lake National Park. The species are:
- Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucophalus), federal threatened;
- Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), federal threatened; and
- Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), federal threatened.
The bald eagle is an occasional resident and may fly over the Highway 62 West corridor but would avoid vehicle and human activity. The bull trout is only located in the Sun and Lost Creeks outside of the project area. Therefore, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service have determined that the project will have no effect on the bald eagle or bull trout. The park determined that the proposed project “may affect” but was “not likely to adversely affect” the northern spotted owl. On 23 August 2002, Crater Lake National Park Superintendent, Charles Lundy, submitted a request for concurrence on the park’s determination and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concurred with that determination (5 September 2002) (see appendix 5).
Threatened and endangered species are addressed as an impact topic in this environmental assessment for the northern spotted owl—all other sensitive species have been dismissed from further discussion.
Soils and Geology
Because the proposed action involves ground-disturbing activities on previously undisturbed soil and further excavation of a quarry, soils and geology are addressed as impact topics in this environmental assessment.
Cultural Resources
The National Historic Preservation Act (16 USC 470 et seq.), NEPA, National Park Service Organic Act, NPS Management Policies (2001), Director’s Order – 12:Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis and Decision-making (2001), and Director’s Order – 28: Cultural Resources Management Guideline require the consideration of impacts on cultural resources either listed in, or eligible to be listed in, the NRHP. Cultural resources include archeological resources, cultural landscapes, historic structures and districts, and ethnographic resources. Although Crater Lake is known primarily as a natural park area, it does have significant cultural resources.
Historic Structures. A rock revetment wall, located in the area of the upper switchback curve, is a contributing structure to the “Wagon Roads in Crater Lake National Park (Western Half)” historic district. The National Park Service recommends and the Oregon SHPO concurred (see Appendix 2), that the historic district is eligible for listing in the NRHP. Therefore, historic structures are addressed under Cultural Resources in this environmental assessment.
Archeological Resources. In the vicinity of the project corridor are historic-period archeological sites, which include sites and isolated finds associated with segments of the Fort Klamath–Jacksonville wagon road. Highway 62 West passes over Whitehorse Creek in the vicinity of historic-period archeological sites. The park archeologist conducted a survey of this area in 2000.
In July and August 2002, a pedestrian survey, conducted by park cultural resource staff, employed 33-feet (10-meter) transect intervals at the proposed switchback realignment, at the Pacific Crest trailhead, the area around turnout B, and at the turnout to the west of Whitehorse Crossing. Meandering transects along each side of Highway 62 at Whitehorse Creek and the Old West Entrance were also employed. A portion of a 1911 road alignment was discovered roughly parallel Highway 62, east of the modern road in the switchback area.
As proposed in the preliminary design, the realignment of the switchbacks in the preferred alternative (alternative C) would avoid historic-period archeological resources, including the 1911 road, resulting in no impact to archeological resources in the switchback area. In other areas surveyed, all artifacts and features lie beyond the area of potential effect. A report documenting the results of the pedestrian survey, together with an assessment of actions having an effect on cultural resources, was submitted to the Oregon SHPO on 9 September 2002.
